GoKawiilFor year after year, more Americans have bought Toyota RAV4s than anything that isn’t a pickup truck. The brand’s reputation for solid reliability has kept it ahead of SUVs from other automakers, and the nation’s embrace of SUVs and crossovers relegated the poor old Camry to near-bottom of the top 10. For the latest generation—the sixth since 1994—all RAV4s are electrified. Most will use a mix of internal combustion engine and brakes to recharge their hybrid powertrains’ traction batteries, like the millions of Priuses out there on the roads. But there’s also a plug-in hybrid EV option, with an all-new powertrain with some noticeable improvements compared to the outgoing PHEV.
Just as Toyota’s designers and engineers have tried to improve on the previous RAV4 with each successive generation, their counterparts in the powertrain department have similarly been iterating and improving the combination of electric motors and piston engine. Under the hood there’s a naturally aspirated 2.5 L four-cylinder engine that operates on the Atkinson-cycle, aided by variable valve timing on both intake and exhaust sides.
The engine, which on its own generates 186 hp (139 kW) and 172 lb-ft (233 Nm), is connected to one of two electric motors under the RAV4’s hood, as well as to Toyota’s electronically controlled variable ratio transmission.
Forget anything you know about conventional continuously variable transmissions or anything to do with cones or belts. This eCVT uses a planetary gear arrangement that sends power from the engine to one electric motor to charge the RAV4’s lithium-ion traction battery. This is a useful 22.7 kWh in capacity and is found under the entire cabin like a battery EV, rather than stealing cargo space above the rear axle like so many earlier PHEVs.